Polish puppet theatre stage designer, graphic artist, and textile designer. Rajmund Strzelecki is the son of Zenobiusz Strzelecki (1915-1997), stage designer, teacher and author of a number of works on the subject of the artistic aspects of scenography, and who worked sporadically for Polish puppet theatres.

Rajmund Strzelecki graduated in Art in the area of textile design in 1967. He made his debut in puppet theatre in 1979. His works were seen on the majority of stages of Poland during the 1980s. Among his most important stage works are: O medyku Feliksie (Felix the Medic, 1986) by Gustaw Morcinek, directed by Piotr Tomaszuk, for Białostocki Teatr Lalek (BTL, Białystok Puppet Theatre); and directed by Stanisław Ochmański: Tryptyk staropolski (The Old Polish Triptych, 1989), after the adaptation of Henryk Jurkowski for Teatr Arlekin; Johannes Doktor Faust. Don Juan (Faust and Don Juan, 1992), for Teatr Pinokio in Łódź; Żywot Wowry wśród żywotów świętych (The Life of Wowro in the Lives of the Saints, 1993), for Teatr Rabcio in Rabka.

Rajmund Strzelecki belonged to the artistic movement that prevailed in Polish puppetry during the 1980s and 90s which sought to restore the puppet to its former presence and power on the stage, reversing the previous trend that was moving toward eliminating puppets from productions.

Strzelecki’s puppets were integrally related to the materials from which they were made (very often from prepared tree branches). They are distinguished by their impressive colour composition, with a predisposition to subtle gags, and a specially devised technical structure, for, according to Rajmund Strzelecki, the stage puppet should serve as an instrument for the performance of an actor-puppeteer.

(See Poland.)